Windows have been falling from the Riverwalk apartments for three years, residents say

When Sam Myers toured apartments in Philadelphia, he was drawn to the newly built Riverwalk apartments along the Schuylkill because of the balconies.

The apartments were constructed in 2021 by developer PMC Property Group, who are considered Philadelphia’s biggest residential landlord. His friends live in apartments owned by PMC, so he said he felt safe moving into the Riverwalk.

But since he moved into his apartment in February, four windows have fallen from the upper floors — two of them onto his balcony. Dozens of windows have fallen from the Riverwalk’s two towers and another PMC high-rise in recent years, court documents say, and residents say management has delayed resolving the issue.

Myers has repeatedly emailed PMC, asking the developer to figure out what is causing the windows to fall onto his and other balconies, the dog park, the railroad tracks, and the pool, but has consistently been “dismissed,” he said. He was offered $1,500 by the property manager to move out, but he and his neighbors are more concerned over the lack of action.

“This isn’t about my personal financial gain,” said Myers, 24. “Someone’s going to die.”

PMC filed a lawsuit June 10 in Common Pleas Court of Philadelphia against Wisconsin-based Wausau Window and Wall Systems, owned by Apogee Enterprises Inc., claiming Wausau provided defective products, causing the windows at both towers at Riverwalk and another PMC property, the Franklin Tower Residences, at 200 N. 16th St., to “spontaneously” break, which PMC said could cost tens of millions of dollars to remediate.

PMC filed another lawsuit July 5 in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia alleging that Wausau failed to deliver certain perforated metal panels on time, which led to millions of dollars of additional construction costs and lost rental revenue.

PMC says in court documents that it paid Wausau about $50 million for the Riverwalk and Franklin window products, and more than $750,000 removing and replacing defective glass in the buildings.

At the time of the June lawsuit, PMC said more than 60 windows had broken in the three buildings combined.

The lawsuit alleged that the glass windows have been shattering because they were contaminated during the manufacturing process. The contamination caused particles to form within the glass that may expand when the installed windows are exposed to varied temperatures, the lawsuit said. The expansion can cause the glass to break out — as whole windows or pieces — without warning.

Wausau announced in February that it was “retiring” its brand and will no longer sell windows and wall curtains under the brand. It also announced mass layoffs and said it will cease to exist.

The Riverwalk’s property manager declined to comment on the situation beyond an email sent to residents last week that said PMC was working to identify a cause and make repairs. Apogee Enterprises could not be reached for comment.

Residents at the Riverwalk apartments, 28-story and 32-story towers, have been complaining to management about falling windows for three years.

Tucked away in a quiet corner of North 23rd and Arch Streets beside the Schuylkill River Trail, the Riverwalk area has low pedestrian traffic aside from residents, who enter and leave the cul-de-sac between the “glass-skinned” north and south buildings. Gaps from broken windows can be seen while looking up from the ground floor.

Residents have also brought concerns to social media in a Facebook group for current and interested tenants. Posts warning neighbors about shattered glass on top of the gym roof, on the railroad tracks, and potentially in the pool go back to August 2022.

Pino He, 26, moved into the north Riverwalk with his wife in September. He said they have been hearing a loud punching sound against their window since they moved in, regardless of weather conditions.

In December, they learned after they returned from a business trip that a window had broken. Maintenance inspected the window recently, but the window has not been fixed, He said.

Despite contacting management since they began hearing sounds coming from their window and after it broke, they haven’t received a response, He said.

Windows have also fallen on the public terrace on top of the Giant supermarket at the bottom of the north residential building, which is also owned by PMC.

Giant’s corporate office referred The Inquirer to property management.

In late June, the Department of Licenses and Inspections issued PMC a violation notice for the falling glass and recommended it put up sidewalk shelters. After learning that PMC “failed to comply,” L&I once more requested that it put up sidewalk barriers, according to Kandyce Stukes, an L&I spokesperson. PMC agreed to put them up after July 4 due to the “complicated nature of the installation.”

PMC is now required to notify L&I of any window repairs to ensure that all safety precautions are being met. This includes blocking off the sidewalk and mezzanine to prevent tenants and pedestrians from accessing the side of the building during repairs.

Days after the sixth window fell, on June 10, from the 24th floor and over the entrance of the building, PMC sent an email to residents saying it was aware of the concerns and was taking the matter “very seriously.” It also told residents in a separate email that the entrance was inaccessible.

“We are currently working closely with the city of Philadelphia and structural engineers to address the issue and ensure the safety of our residents and the public,” the email read. “Your safety is our top priority, and we are committed to finding a prompt and effective solution.”

Residents said that the June 19 email was the first time PMC communicated with tenants that it was taking action. Previous emails from PMC mentioned cleanup but did not acknowledge a potential investigation of the issue.

On July 9, property manager Diane Green sent an email informing residents that PMC was in contact with Wausau, in addition to L&I and structural engineers to address the cracking and falling windows.

Work to put up protective ground-level overhead scaffolding around the perimeter of the building would begin that day, Green added.

“As structural engineers and other building construction experts work to identify the cause, make immediate repairs, and identify a prompt and effective remediation solution, we are keeping our residents informed and updated,” said Green, who declined to comment further.

Green sent an email to residents Thursday, a day after this article was published online, saying PMC would install covered pergolas to provide overhead protection on the uncovered balconies oncertain floors. Residents were asked not to use their balconies until the installation.

Green did not provide an approved timeline for the installation but said PMC is working with L&I to “expedite” the process.”

PMC has been dealing with L&I in regards to the Riverwalk property since 2019.

Philadelphia inspectors halted construction of the luxury apartments for nearly three weeks in June 2019 after they discovered that work on the two-tower project was being done without proper permits.

PMC poured concrete for elevator shafts up to the fifth floor of one of the buildings in May 2019 despite having a permit to complete only the building’s foundation, according to then-L&I spokesperson Karen Guss.

Inspectors issued a stop-work order, but found that construction continued about two weeks later during a follow up, so they shut down the site, Guss said.

Myers said that he hopes windows will stop falling, but that he doesn’t believe things will change anytime soon.

Riverwalk became his top choice for an apartment, he said, because he wanted a balcony to give his dog, Shiner, somewhat of an outdoor space in the city, on top of using it for get-togethers with friends and family. He plans to invite a group of friends over for a party for his birthday in a few weeks, but he says he “doesn’t feel safe” using the balcony, in the event that another window falls.

“I would feel bad for the rest of my life,” he said.